One resident who asked not to be named described how she saw a large number of emergency vehicles close to the Church Lane area of the village at about 10.45pm, two hours after teams first arrived at the scene.

Another said: "I saw ambulance and fire engines heading down, and about 10 minutes later there was an air ambulance - it seemed like a lot of manpower."

A man has died in Chewton Mendip

She said she was mystified at the time and didn't find out until the next day from a neighbour what had happened.